Reeducation
by DramaticField
Summary: What happens when Sydney and Adrian reunite back in Palm Springs after she's send to reeducation? Short one-shot about their reconciliation. Spoiler alert: If you haven't read The Fiery Heart, don't read!


**Re-Education**

**Authors Note: **_I hope you guys bare with me on this one-shot! I have no idea what RM has planned for Sydney and Adrian, but all I do know is she said in this book coming Sydrian were together so much she didn't even need to do two POV's, but she did anyways. I assume Sydney escapes, or is placed back or something! So bare with my explaination and hopefully we'll all be pleasantly surprised in July when the next book comes out! Come on Silver Shadows!Until then, enjoy! And sorry for the long backround summary at the begining! _

Sydney walked into a large, familiar room. They were in Clarence's. Zoe had been reassigned to the Amberwood assignment with the new alchemist they had for more training, and now, her father was sending her back. Of course, Zoe and the new girl would be monitoring her, and so would he, heavily, but she was back after she had been made an example out of for the other alchemist who may have been edging toward her rouge, unprofessional and untolerable path of actually liking anyone outside of their own kind.

After smartening up, she had played the perfect transformation role in the alchemist reeducation center to the point where she was allowed to see her family again. Her father hadn't been welcoming, even with her cleared bill of health. Not after the things she had said to him in the back of that SUV. He would never forgive her, she knew. Just like he never forgave her sister Carly.

She had been reunited with her family once she was cleared, except for Zoe, including her independent sister Carly with the same brown eyes and blond hair she and Zoe shared. They looked even closer related than her and Zoe, since their age gap was slightly smaller. They had been close, and Sydney remembered consoling her time and time again after she had found out Keith had raped her sister. Carly was a role model in Sydney's eye; defying their father to have her own life had taken much courage and she was pretty well disowned by him. Still, Carly had kept a relationship with their mother, and Sydney knew Jared never forgave their mom for that. Things were either black and white in her fathers eyes; there was no grey matter. That's how they had been raised, but unlike Zoe and Jared, the rest of the Sage family was able to see the grey matter with glowing satisfaction. Jared would never be able to look over that.

Still, in the familiar heat of palm springs, her father escorted her inside the vampire's home, tense and business-like. The whole gang sat there, something Sydney wasn't prepared for. Rose, Dimitri, Sonya and Christian all sat together with Jill, Eddie, Neil, Zoe, and the new girl. And Adrian. As soon as she saw him, she wanted to throw her arms around his neck. She felt the insatiable desire to go over and kiss him and mess up his styled hair - which looked slightly more run down than the last time she saw him. Their eyes met, but it wasn't time for any reunion right now and she gave him a cold look before diverting her gaze. She had to keep up the appearance and visibly fidgited as Jared led her in the center of them. She could tell her dad was nervous being in the room, but he had back-up outside and she had to pretend to be just as uncomfortable.

"Sydney Sage is back with you all," he announced diplomatically. "I will be keeping a close eye on her, and she will be not be reenrolled into Amberwood. She's here only to observe the diplomatic, serious stance of her fellow alchemists residing here, and she will only step in if it's absolutely necessary. She has no alchemist tools of her own, that would be too big of a privelge at this stage. She's recovering." He gave Sydney keys to an apartment close to the school. "You're staying here. Don't let me down." He walked out without a second glance at either sister. Zoe was staring wide-eyed. She hadn't expected Sydney to be back here. Hell, she hadn't even expected to be there herself. Jared hadn't even looked at Adrian. If he did, he would probably be in jail for strangling the lowly moroi boy. Even alchemists had their breaking points, you just had to push hard enough.

Sydney listened to her fathers speech silently, arms behind her back, staring at a nearby grey wall. As soon as the door clicked, signifying her father was gone, it opened again a few seconds later, and Carly stepped through the doors just like they had planned. One thing that was a surprise to both girls, however, was that Keith was there, Sydney realized too late. He was standing against a wall behind the couch, relaxing against it. Apparently he had been reformed enough to gain the privlege of watching over, as well. They were both supposed to be learning from the poise of Zoe and the new girl before they were trusted alone with a charge.

Sydney turned, seeing her sister enter, and Adrian gulped. "Sage..." There was so much emotion behind that one word that it was hard for Sydney to turn away, but she had bigger things to do right now that reconcile with her vampire love interest.

Sydney ignored him. She had been in touch with Neil and Carly in private after somehow getting some alone time with her sister at the family meet and greet. Carly took care of informing Neil. She had to fix this; all of this. "Did you lock the door?" She asked the blond figure approaching them.

"Of course I did, what do you think I am-" She stopped midsentence as the other Sage sister entered the light and saw Keith. She was frozen and Sydney actually felt the urge to curse. Reeducation had been a game. One that she had played flawlessly.

"Neil," Sydney turned to the guardian. "Remove him."

Keith chuckled. "Oh, Carly, what a pleasure to see you again. I may have one less eye than when you've known me before, but you're still as beautiful as ever."

Carly tried to stay strong, but a muffled sob escaped her lips. "Get him out of here," she said to Neil. "You're nothing but the scum of the earth."

Zoe had been so happy to see her older sister, even if she had betrayed the alchemist family, but her words to Keith took her by surprise. "Carly..." Her disapproving tone was evident, and Sydney frowned. If only she knew.

Carly smiled down to Zoe, ignoring the tone as Neil took a screaming Keith from the home, locking him out. "Hello little sister."

"What are you doing here..."

Sydney sighed. "Carly helped me in reeducation, Zoe."

Carly nodded. "Indeed."

Zoe seemed thrilled. "You look great, Sydney." She hadn't been allowed to see Sydney when she was released two days ago because she was already reassigned here, with a touched up tattoo. Sydney's own 'touched up' tattoo was darker, much like Keiths. They put more ink and elements in the 'bad' alchemists to keep their loyalty from straining, even though Keith was like a robot now; reeducation really had gotten to him unlike herself. However, the elements in Sydney's tattoo were falsified by her lovely sister. It had been a dangerous and tedious process - Carly sneaking into the tattooing studio and switching Sydney's ink, but when she got tattooed again she no longer felt the compulsive need to please the alchemists and do what was instructed of her. She was still her own person, and it was all thanks to her sister.

A knock came on the back door, and Neil answered it, letting Marcus in. Sydney smiled, her alchemist persona fading. "Nice to see you again," she said softly. Marcus was another one called upon by Carly by her request.

Marcus smiled. "You, too. You look great my new and improved rouge."

Zoe was so confused, and she raised a brow. "What..."

"Carly helped me," Sydney told her sister again as the small girl refocused her attention. She would deal with her feelings for Adrian later. He looked confused now and she was grateful for that expression other than the one she had seen earlier when she ignored him. "She altered the compound they reinked me with."

Carly smiled proudly. "Zoe, we're going to help you."

Zoe looked at both girls, and stood up from her lone chair. She was confused, and could hardly believe what Carly had done. "What do you mean help me? And how did she.. alter it?"

Marcus grinned and Neil went over, taking Zoe's shoulders, not letting her go. "We're taking the complusion out of your tattoo."

"No!" Zoe cried, squirming against Neil's hold. But she was too weak.

"Zoe, you have to listen," Sydney said. Adrian's face brightened immediately. She wasn't brainwashed. She was still Sage. "It won't break your tattoo but Carly and I need to talk to you without the complusion influencing you."

Clarence was upstairs in bed, and Jill giggled. "Sydney..." She wasn't gone forever.

Rose and Dimitri, along with Christian, were extremey confused, but Sonya smiled happily. She knew ever since that day at court. This was Adrian's influence, she was sure.

Zoe was about to protest, but Carly took out a syringe and Neil held her, before she injected it into her neck. Zoe fell limp, and Neil laid her down in the chair carefully.

Sydney turned toward Marcus. "Take the magic out of her tattoo."

The new alchemist was horrified. "What are you doing! You're crazy! I'm calling Jared!" She was outraged. "This is crazy! You're going... What's going on..."

Sydney looked to her. "Just calm down, no one's getting hurt."

Marcus took his machine out and carefully sat in front of Zoe before starting it, and altering her tattoo.

Sydney took a deep breath in, and she looked at all the confused faces. Carly smiled. "It had to be done, don't worry." Sydney nodded, and gulped.

"Sage what's going on," Adrian got up, going over to her. Sydney smiled, and fought the urge to jump into his arms.

"I have to talk to Zoe, without the complusion affecting her. I have to straighten this all out."

He smiled. "They didn't take your memory..."

Carly smiled. "They tried, but then the big sister came to the rescue."

Adrian looked at her, confused. "Nice to meet you."

Carly nodded. "You, too, so you're the one who corrupted my sister?"

A deep-belly laugh escaped from Adrian's lips, and his natural charm took over, even with the smell of alcohol and cigarettes steaming off of him. "I wouldn't say corrupt is the correct word."

"No, you're probably right," Carly said softly, turning her attention back to Zoe.

Sydney looked back up into his pools of green. "She isn't an alchemist. She left, which is why it fell on me. Once she heard what had happened she helped me against getting re-inked so I could come back and break my tattoo for good; and seal it."

Marcus finished, and stepped back. "Can you tell if it's all gone?" He asked Sonya.

She went over, and tried to see her aura, running her hand over Zoe's face carefully. "You're good."

Zoe stirred. "The potion will only keep her asleep for a few minutes, so be ready for her to freak out," Carly said softly. "I still have some alchemist tricks up my sleeve," she winked to Sydney.

Both sisters forgot everyone else, and Sydney went over to Zoe, leaning in front of her as her eyes opened wide. "Sydney what did you do to me!" Zoe cried.

"Nothing," she said softly. "I just took the compulsion out of your tattoo. Zoe.."

Carly sighed. "This could have all been avoided if you had come to Sydney when you had suspicison of her loyalty," she sighed.

Zoe frowned, her hand going to her tattoo, feeling what happened and the burning from the needle. "She wouldn't have told me anything."

Sydney sighed. "I was trying to warm you up to them before I told you anything, but you were so admant about staying on dad's good side."

"This is my job, Sydney! We're alchemists! I did my job! You failed." Zoe cried incredously.

Carly frowned. "Sydney did hers, too. Zoe, there's more than just what you know. The alchemists... They're eventually starting to plan a rebellion against them all; moroi and dhampirs, alike. Not just the evil ones."

"They're all evil!" The beliefs had been instilled in her since she was young, and tears came to her eyes. Neil still had her restrained in the chair from behind, his hands around her arms so the two sisters could calm her down before he released her. "They're all evil, Carly! I don't care!"

Sydney frowned. "I didn't think it went so far," she told Carly.

"The beliefs... Dad's got her brainwashed, even without the complusion ink for her loyalty."

Zoe frowned. "I'm going to be an alchemist."

"No, you're not," Carly said diplomatically. "Because in the hearing next week we're both on mom's side."

"How could you do that!" Zoe said, mainly to Sydney.

"Because it's for the best. You don't want this lifestyle, Zoe. Things are going to start getting messy, really fast. Then what side are you on when they start killing innocents?"

"The moroi feed off of humans," she said through gritted teeth. "They're hardly innocent."

"And Eddie taught you how to drive a car," Sydney reminded her. "Do you want them to kill him?"

Zoe hesitated and stopped struggling. "Well, no but..."

"No buts. The Alchemists are no different than the moroi and dhampirs and humans, Zoe," Carly said.

"Our kind don't feed off of people, though, Carly! We don't hurt anyone."

Sydney laughed. "Our kind don't hurt people? Zoe, human's kill each other, and torture people. The Japanse are famous for their torture tactics in the second world war, they killed up to ten million people," Sydney's love of knowledge and the world was coming out freely, and her natural intelligence of worldwide events. "The Nazi's killed between twenty-one and twenty-six millon during the holocaust and in the Veitnam war they murdered civilians. Zoe, this is the world we live in, it's not black and white anymore. There's a grey matter; _we're _the grey matter. I guarentee you the moroi killed millions and millions less than humans. Don't you see that?"

Everyone in the room hung onto Sydney's words. They were powerful, and Adrian was just shocked on how she could remember such detail of these events when what he had for dinner yesterday was a mystery to him. But the facts didn't lie; statistics didn't lie, and her logic was hard to reason with.

"We're not... unnatural, though."

Carly sighed. "That tattoo on your cheeks? That's not natural. It's got magical elements and blood, Zoe."

"But... we help people," she pleaded. "The alchemists only do good."

Carly frowned. "We're all capable of evil, little sister." Zoe didn't want to budge, and Carly frowned. She hesitated and shared a quick glance with Sydney before taking a deep breath in. "Keith raped me, Zoe."

Zoe stared at her, wide-eyed. "What..."

"Now you tell me that there's nothing wrong and unnatural about that, because he raped me, and I'll never forget that. He's an alchemist, but he's not good," Carly's voice faded to a whisper. "It's why I left."

Sydney frowned, knowing their family drama was playing out in front of everyone. Zoe looked to Sydney. "You knew about that..."

"You were only young, Zoe," Sydney sighed. "Like, seven. I-"

"She consolled me when I got home. Dad idolized him. I knew he wouldn't believe me, so I left. I couldn't tell him and I certainly couldn't work beside him."

Zoe was shocked, and Sydney took her younger sisters hands in her own. "Everyone's capable of evil, what matters is what you do about it. Has anyone here tried to hurt you? Despite you giving them every reason in the world to dislike you?"

She shook her head and Sydney continued. "Exactly. And Keith... Carly did nothing wrong to ask for what happened to her. There's a grey matter you need to see. We need you to try and see things from our perspective regardless of your obligation to the alchemists."

The new alchemist didn't know what to say. She was shocked, and confused, and stayed quiet despite her fear and urge to get clear of all of these people. What were they talking about...

Zoe hugged Sydney, and started crying. "I know it's hard to deal with," Carly murmured. "After everything they've brainwashed you with, but Zoe, just believe what we're saying."

Zoe stayed in Sydney's arms for a few minutes and Sydney held onto her tightly, wanting her sister to finally let them in and see the wrong in every aspect of this situation. If she was going to change something, she needed as many people as possible on board. "I'm sorry I told Dad..."

Sydney hated what her sister had done, but she understood. "It's okay. But you could have come to me," she pulled back.

Zoe looked at her, shaking her head and wiping her eyes. "You wouldn't have told me, no matter what you say now."

"I would have tried."

"Would you have told me about Adrian?"

Rose and the others had merely been told she had gotten too close to the others, not about any relationships of the sort, so her, Dimitri and Christian were confused. Sonya, however, knew this fate the moment she saw Adrian and Sydney together at court. She knew what was happening and Sydney being taken hadn't shocked her, but she never revealed to anyone what she had saw, just like Sydney asked.

Sydney looked at her sister and frowned. She gave her the best answer she could. "Not right away, but I would have tried."

Carly sighed. "Let's go talk, Zoe. Me and you."

Zoe looked at everyone and gulped. "I am sorry, but Sydney... You were..." She shook her head. "You slept with him."

Rose's eyes wouldn't leave Sydney's face, but it was Carly who answered for the blond girl. "Because she loves him, Zoe."

Zoe gulped, not making eye contact with Adrian. "He's a vampire, it's wrong," she stated again. "And it would be wrong if he wasn't. That cross around your neck is supposed to keep you pure from evil, _and_ temptation."

Sydney blushed, actually. Despite Adrian being a vampire, they were also very religious and she knew Zoe wouldn't approve of sex outside of marriage even if it was with another alchemist. "Well that's exactly why they made me repent and re-baptised me," Sydney laughed it off. "Not the best thing in the world, I assure you."

Zoe blushed, and Carly laughed. "Sometimes things don't go as planned. Let's go talk and let Sydney catch everyone else up, okay?"

Zoe looked at them both and gulped, taking Carly's advice. "Okay."

Both sisters left the room, and Sydney sighed, standing up. She wanted to throw herself around Adrian and kiss him until her lips were tired and bruised, but she had to explain. She turned to Rose, who eyed her skeptically with a smirk. "So you and Adrian..." It all made sense now, Rose thought. The way he freaked when Sydney was taken, and how much happier he was; and why he went on the pills.

Sydney sighed. "Well Zoe pretty much gave you the recap."

Adrian chuckled and got up, going over to her, and wrapping his arms around her. "God, I've missed you."

Sonya giggled and Sydney hugged him back before looking over at the happy brunette. "I could tell ever since day one, you know. Your auras were a pretty dead give away." She looked to Rose and Dimitri. "Just like yours had been. That hotel on the way home? God your auras were gleaming." Rose actually blushed, and rolled her eyes, Dimitri smirking. That had been quite the night.

Sydney blushed as well and sighed. "I didn't even think about that when we went to court. I should have tried to hide it..." But her thoughts had been everywhere else.

Sonya shrugged. "You would have slipped up eventually. I always saw a little glint of it when I was here first but assumed it would pass. At court, well, I knew with certainty."

Christian had only been along in place of Lissa, and he grinned. "So, Ivashkov, that's why you went on those pills. Lissa could never see a reason why, not really despite your claims for sanity. Now we know why."

Sydney smiled and reached up, studying Adrian's face. "But you're off them now." And he looked like hell. Bags under his eyes, and fatigue sketched all over his face. "Have you slept at all since I was gone?" It was supposed to be a joke, but Adrian's usual flippant manner was gone and he sighed. "Not really. Not a full night."

"He's been drinking heavily," Jill said softly. "So the bond's stayed pretty numb and my own hangover's haven't been very fun."

Sydney frowned and hugged him tightly. "Adrian..."

"I can't do it. The pills.. When you got taken, I was helpless, Sage. It was what I always worried about. I won't go back on them. I couldn't reach you the whole time..."

"Because they had drugged me," she said softly. "Not because of you."

Rose smiled. Adrian seemed... Well, happy with Sydney. And grown up. She knew there had to be a reason behind it when they met Olive.

"You were so proud when you found out, and I was doing so well, but I... When they took you, Sage..."

"Shh," she leaned up, and kissed him in front of everyone. It was nice not to have to hide, and also kind of embarrasing. It was Rose after all, and plus, everyone had orignally thought - aside from Sonya - she was still the old, vampire-spooked girl they knew her as.

Rose giggled. "You sure have come a long way since I first met you."

Sydney laughed when the kiss broke, Adrian burying his face into the crook of her neck. "I've had some help."

"You guys should be alone," Sonya said, smiling. "We should all find our way back to the hotels."

Sydney blushed. Sonya was doing her a favor - letting her and Adrian reunite in every way possible, and it was obvious. She was beet red, and Rose laughed, going over and hugging Sydney. Sydney almost forgot her and Adrian were once a couple and she turned even redder, hugging her friend back. "I hope things aren't awkward," Sydney said softly.

Rose pulled back and looked between her and Adrian. "Not at all. I'm glad you're both happy." She had felt horribly for hurting him ever since she cheated on him, and now that Sydney was in the picture, she felt lighter and her guilt lessened. Sydney nodded, and gave her a small smile before Rose and Dimitri left. They all needed to talk about the serum later, but they all thought tomorrow would be a good idea. There had been too much happening for one day.

Sonya went up while Sydney talked to Rose and hugged Adrian. "Treat her well, now," she smiled. "I know I don't even need to tell you that, though."

Adrian chuckled. "No, definitely not. I haven't even looked at another woman since I got together with her. She's amazing, Sonya."

"I'm glad," she kissed his cheek in a motherly gesture. Sometimes it was hard to remember Sonya was older than them all. "Call her," Sonya took a number out of her pocket, and put it in Adrian's hand. "I got Lissa to get a number."

Adrian looked at the piece of paper in his hand, and he smiled. His mothers number and address. "Thank you," was all he could say. Sonya nodded, and followed Rose and Dimitri out the door.

Jill jumped up, finally, and hugged Sydney tightly. "I've missed you so much."

Sydney smiled. "I've missed you, too."

"The bond's been horrible since you left," she sighed. "Before it got numbed. God, he was a wreck. I was so worried about him."

It felt nice to be needed but she felt terrible on what her dissapearance did to Adrian.

"And Eddie."

Eddie. God. She pulled away from Jill, and looked to Eddie, who was on the couch, frowning. "Sydney..."

"I'm sorry," she said softly, going over and sitting beside him, taking his hand. "I'm so so so sorry. But I couldn't let them hurt any of you guys, or Adrian. It was for the best. I hope you can forgive me."

Eddie reached over and hugged her, squeezing his eyes shut. "I thought we had lost you and it was all my fault."

Sydney hugged him back and smiled. "It wasn't your fault," she said as they pulled back. "I promise. I had to do it, and I knew you would probably hate me for it, but it kept all of you safe."

A few other words were exchanged, patching up Eddie's failure. She tried to make him feel better and told him that later on, they would talk about him and Jill. Until then, she got up, and left the house with Adrian. As soon as they were outside, he pressed her roughly against the car door -which they hadn't even opened, and pressed his lips on hers with a passion she hadn't felt before; a longing and reuniting.

"Oh, Adrian," Sydney whispered as his lips went to her neck.

"That's all I needed to hear," he pulled back, looking into her eyes. "I've missed you so much. God, you scared me. I was so..."

"Sh," she pressed a finger to his lips. "No talking."

**Authors Note **_**- **__I hope you guys like this little one shot! Please, read and review and let me know what you thought! I know I took on a lot of characters, and I hope I did it well enough for you guys! This is a little side project to distract me from my writers block on my other stories, which if you haven't already, you should check out! _

_Review!_

_Dramaticfield_


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